Tuesday, 31 January 2017

So interesting when you put everything together. I had a plan, but abandoned the plan by Day 8... The plan was painting still life for the 30 days. The flowers that I was painting just weren't meeting my expectations, but I was enjoying painting the vessels. And I love interpreting the landscape and walking every day does not give one the option to ignore that inspiration! No masterpieces, but pushed my limits, discovered new colour palettes, experimented with colour mixes, subject matter and exploring new techniques. An added bonus - invited my 'positive muse' into my studio more often than not. Looking forward to painting - at a less pressured pace! Have a wonderful day.

Monday, 30 January 2017

Congratulations to everyone who participated in the 30in30! It is now day 30 - the last day and last painting for this challenge. Many thanks to Leslie Saeta for organizing this month of painting. Must confess I am relieved this is the final day....I know this isn't suppose to cause undue stress but once painting I became totally obsessed with posting daily - I couldn't help myself. Once again the practice of practice (can you say that!) has proven itself. This was a month of some good, some not so good paintings but lots of experimentation and pushing myself outside the 'box'. I have connected with wonderful artists who have offered insightful observations on my paintings and painting in general, offered daily support and lots of inspiration and eye candy visiting their pages. So, cheers to you all, may you enjoy more studio days painting, experimenting and filling up your well. I look forward to this coming September and the next 30in30!

Sunday, 29 January 2017

Day 29 and one painting left! Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to come here, have a look and leave a comment. Your comments have been insightful and supportive. It has been wonderful connecting with you. Not much to say about today's offering - could use a bit more paint, but at some point you have to put your brush down and step away. Have good evening and look forward to seeing your Day 30!

Saturday, 28 January 2017

Only two paintings to go. I seem to be running out of steam but really....can two more paintings be that difficult to complete? Started of today's offering with an idea, but what eventually found it's way onto the paper was not that idea. Don't you just hate it when there is a communication break down between your brain and your paintbrush. The day light has been noticeably different the last couple of days. Quite flat and there isn't a lot of colour to be seen. But walking today the willow bushes had a very distinctive 'cad red/orange' colour to them especially on the tips. It inspired me to add some reds and yellows as I was painting. Hope you had a wonderful day painting and look forward to see everyone's Day 29.

Friday, 27 January 2017

Only three days left! They say the third one's the charm, but pretty sure I disproved that today! Probably could have gone on to attempt a number 4, but I managed to restrain myself! This poor painting has been put through the wringer. I am surprised the paper held up as good as it did. But it is what it is. Just painting and some extra colour added using watercolour crayons. I hope you had a good day!

Thursday, 26 January 2017

...Day 26.....4 days left....Back to still life today. Wasn't my first thought when I pulled out this start, but after turning it several times some shapes started to appear. Mixed up some neutrals and started painting out areas and defining some vessel shapes. The two shapes in the foreground were the ones I 'found' and the dark vessel in the background appeared as I painted. I realize there isn't much left of the original start, but some does show through in a subtle way in areas that were glazed . I find this much easier to work with than a blank, white piece of paper. I enjoy painting vessels - no reference photos for this painting - just memory and what appears in the paint. I would describe it as an intuitive approach. Hope you enjoyed your day painting and again many thanks for having a look and commenting - appreciate it very much.

Wednesday, 25 January 2017

Just a simple painting for day 5. Needed a 'play day'..... I used a credit card to add the 'hills' - really like the line and texture you can create using it. A bit of texture added using a couple of stencils and finally some simple lines added using water colour crayon.

Tuesday, 24 January 2017

Trying to keep with the basics on Day 24. This past fall I took a 5 day workshop with intuitive artist Joan Fullerton. I took some time today to go back through some of the notes I took during this workshop. These notes are not just 'how to's' but also Joan's thoughts and ideas about painting. So what I decided to concentrate on today was value contrast and marks to give depth and using veiling to add another layer. When I look at this painting I did keep enough value contrast, but could have pushed the veiling more in some areas and less in others. What I was trying to achieve - in Joan's words was this.....

'When you look at a painting across the room

you want it to make you and others come closer.

When you get closer you want enough detail to draw you in'

7 1/2" X 6"Acrylic on 140lbArches hot press paper

Joan is participating in this month's 30in30 and I would encourage you to have a look at her paintings.

And one more thought from Joan.....

'You need to fail - let go - in order to maybe get something amazing.'

Monday, 23 January 2017

Today was 'back to the basics' - colour mixing, under painting, using the positive and negative space and glazing. This was a worthwhile exercise for me. I have really been struggling to paint this month and seemed to have lost sight of why I paint and how to paint! I know it sounds ridiculous but there it is. Am glad I took a step back. The rich dark in the foreground is a mix of transparent red iron oxide and phthalo blue - I find black out of the tube has a flat look but this dark has a rich feel and look. Repeated glazing with transparent red iron oxide, transparent yellow iron oxide, alizarin crimson hue, a bit of phthalo blue and layering with opaque neutrals in between the layers of glazing builds up a rich layer of paint. Defined the hill shapes along the horizon line using titanium white, a touch of alizarin crimson and a light glaze in spots using grey. A final glaze of phthalo cerulean blue in the sky and this is where I will stop.

Sunday, 22 January 2017

Too many commitments this weekend but looking forward to the coming week and getting back into my regular routine. This is a quick study (about 30 minutes). I am struggling with still life painting. I had mentioned in a previous post that I am trying to discover my own approach to this imagery - I am still looking! I find the shape and colour of the red vessel appealing but the green is lacking - needs more value change. I am still thinking about the background - I like to use pattern & line but think I will just leave this painting and do another. I hope that your painting has gone well this weekend and on to the final week of the 30in30.

Saturday, 21 January 2017

Time was at a premium today and painting wasn't at the top of the list! Managed an hour and a bit in my studio. I am not a fast painter, but after today I might throw in the extra challenge of limiting my time. Painting this way doesn't leave a lot of time for thinking about what you want to do, how you should go about it, what is the next step, etc. It's an opportunity to work more intuitively and perhaps have some different things come through that wouldn't normally when working at a more analytical pace. I would be interested to know what your thoughts are on 'quick' painting.

Friday, 20 January 2017

Another start from 3 years ago. I had taken my first acrylic workshop and I was so far out of my depth during the 4 days. Under paintings (and a lot of other things) were a new concept for me. After the workshop I came home and 'under painted'! Yikes......looks like I couldn't get enough colours and gesso on the paper. Needless to say these all ended up in a folder. The painting that has emerged reminds me of some of the scenery you can find on a back country hike. Alpine meadows in the fore ground, scree slopes and in the distance mountain ranges.

I am so impressed with all the work that is being posted this month - you are all so inspiring!

Thursday, 19 January 2017

After working pretty diligently with my 'daily practice' the last few days, my studio was in desperate need of a cleanup. While reorganizing some of my papers I found a folder full of gelli prints that will make some great starts for future paintings. I scanned a few so I will have a visual record of the original start and where it ended up. I picked one of the starts for today's painting. Lots of paint, lots of turning the paper and then lifting paint from parts of the painting. There is not a lot of the original start left but I do like what does still remain. In the past I would have tried to keep as much imagery as possible from the original, but I think this was holding me back from making some better painting choices and discovering a more interesting painting. So today's painting is inspired by our weather today. With the warm temperatures the snow is receding from some areas and exposing bare ground. The sun shone, the clouds came and went - just a beautiful day! I still might go back and quiet down some of the busier areas - mainly in the lower portion of the image......

Wednesday, 18 January 2017

Tried something different for Day 18. An image reminiscent of some coastal areas in Newfoundland. Used acrylic paint, but instead of brushes, I used a palette knife and credit cards to apply the paint and paper towel to lift the paint in some areas. The marks made from using these tools seems to give an effect much like some of the mono prints I have done. Not a lot of 'fine' details but I think it suits the image. The photo is just to give you an idea of what some of the coastal areas look like. Thanks again to all who have visited and your comments are very much appreciated!

Tuesday, 17 January 2017

The temperatures are soaring here - a balmy +10 degrees celsius here today. That is almost a 30 degree difference in temperature from this time last week. Last week a very cold -25 with wind chill. You have to love those chinooks!

Kept todays painting simple - simple composition, palette and mark making. Had limited time to paint today, so not a lot of 'fussing' and I do fuss. Very loose interpretation of a fall day and early snow that we can get. I actually hate to say we have had snow in our 'summer' months! Still, I wouldn't live any where else. Hope you had a good day in your studio.

Monday, 16 January 2017

Day 16! It is also know as Blue Monday - a name given to the third Monday in January. (Supposedly the most depressing day of the year!). If I had know this morning it was 'blue' I would have done something in blue, but instead went with some rich earth tones and neutrals. More vessels, but I find it interesting painting them. Had some paper that I had randomly painted (using up extra pigment from another painting day) and then just started playing with shape and line. Used some colours I don't normally reach for and glad I did. My Monday was anything but blue and I hope you had a good day!

Sunday, 15 January 2017

I ran out of steam today. Haven't been feeling that great - bronchitis for about 3 weeks and just couldn't bring this to a 'finish'. Still a lot of the underpainting showing - it is what it is. There has been such great art posted over the last couple of weeks - so much creativity and talent. Thank you to everyone who has stopped by to look and leave comments. Is great to be part of such a supportive group of artist.

10"X10"Acrylic on Arches 140lb hot press watercolour paper

I don't know if I will continue working on this or start another.....tomorrow is another day!

Saturday, 14 January 2017

Today's offering reminds a bit of southeast Alberta. My father was born and raised in this area and as children we spent many a happy visit roaming around the farms and surrounding country. At first I wasn't that happy with the palette I used. You are probably thinking....why not change it then? Well, I did think of that but these paintings give me a chance to experiment with colour, subject matter, etc. and not feel pressured to complete a 'masterpiece' (and I do use that term loosely for my paintings!). Having left it for a day it has grown on me. I find it quite peaceful and there seems to be enough subtle changes in colour to make you take a second look. The sky has some artist tissue paper collaged and I do like how the paint caught some of the rough edges. I was going to add some line work but I think I will leave this one as is - sometimes less is more.

Friday, 13 January 2017

Am finding a bit of a rhythm the last couple of days - especially working on this painting. Should have scanned the start - next time. It was a random mix of blues, greys, teal and a couple of drops of white ink - a real 'mish-mash'. After it had dried I spent a bit of time looking for shapes that appealed to me and what popped out was vases, pots and bowls. I kept turning the paper as I worked on it and it was at the midway point that I decided on a direction that I liked. Lots of layers of paint, glazing, mark making, stencilling and a small amount of graphite pencil. Think I will try another one but change up my palette to earth tones....maybe!

I worked on a 11" X 11" piece of paper and it is too big for my scanner. I really need to try a photo editing program, but that will have to wait for another day. Took a picture of the whole image with my iPad (apologies for the picture quality) and then took a couple of scans. The colour and image quality is so much better with the scans.

Thursday, 12 January 2017

I was going through some pictures from a trip we took a couple of years ago to the province of Newfoundland and Labrador. It is a beautiful part of the world and we thoroughly enjoyed driving along coastal roads and hiking some of the trails along the edge of the Atlantic Ocean. Today's painting is inspired by some of the views (loosely interpreted of course) and how standing at the top of some of the cliffs you seemed to be able to see forever.

5" X 5"
Acrylic mixed media
on printmaking paper

Cape St Mary'sEcological ReserveThousands of birds nest here in the summer on therock stacks. The white specks on the rocks andin the sky are the birds. A magical spot!

Wednesday, 11 January 2017

Back to an abstract landscape. Kept things simple and just painted. Used a neutral palette and painted over an under painting of transparent yellow oxide and indian yellow. I was going to paint over all the yellow but instead kept some of it and added a few more layers of yellow and red iron oxide . Painting is not coming easy this month. I had cleared most of my calendar for January to get back painting. So....really it's no surprise there are lots of ups and downs happening. So my advice to myself is to keep painting, experimenting and enjoy having the time to paint. I am really looking forward to that 'eureka' moment!

5 1/2" X 7 3/4"
Acrylic mixed media
on printmaking paper

Words for me to ponder....

'...paint what you enjoy and love - not what you think you should paint....'

Tuesday, 10 January 2017

Another try at still life and 'flowers'. Still looking for that something that will click with me....So the 'post mortem' on this one - not enough lights and darks, very, very overworked and to be honest just didn't really appeal to me from the get go. I have been looking at a lot of still life paintings the past couple of months - going through books, magazines, images on Pinterest. So much to look at and take in. I think I need to take a break from looking and just paint what I like. Always interested to hear how other artists deal with the ups and downs of art. Enjoy your evening and I look forward to seeing Day 11's art.

Sunday, 8 January 2017

The colder temperatures are here again. We have blanketed our horse and mules and our dog, Cleo is wearing her new winter coat on any outdoor excursions. Although the sky in today's painting is not quite the real thing it does convey (I hope!) the feeling of a cold winter's day. The layers of snow are starting to accumulate in the fields and pastures and when the winds blow some is stripped away to reveal what lies beneath. We are glad for the snow but with temperatures a few degrees warmer it would be much more pleasant. I hope wherever you are it is warm and comfortable. I am enjoying all the great art that has been posted over the last week - so much talent - and look forward to seeing more.

8" X 8"Acrylic mixed media onprintmaking paper

Today's painting has lots and lots of layers of paint! I sometimes like to use rubbing alcohol to 'strip' away some of the layers and then build them up again or leave some of those areas where the paint is removed. You never know what you will end up with. I do use some commercial stencils to add texture, but I am also cutting my own...when time permits. I like to experiment and with experimentation can come some very happy outcomes.

Saturday, 7 January 2017

The end of week 1 and a small offering for day 7. Some collage, stencilling and then using a small brush to add the plant detail. Added the red spatter to give it a bit of spark. Not sure how I feel about still life after doing several this week. But I think I will continue on with a few more and see how it goes. Hope you had a good week 1 and are looking forward to week 2.

Friday, 6 January 2017

Today's offering.....went through several 'lives' ie layers of paint and this is finally what ended up on paper. Having trouble getting going on these paintings. Think I am not using enough random paint/marks on the start and then trying to get to some imagery too soon. Anyhow....want to send a special thank you to my wonderful painter friends who left words of encouragement yesterday I appreciate you all very much! Best wishes to you all as the thirty days continues!

Thursday, 5 January 2017

......Not one of my best days in the studio :( Nothing was clicking and in the end I went back to a smaller more abstract landscape. I have done a couple of still life paintings, but not sure if they really reflect 'me'. If you are an artist you will know exactly what I am talking about. So here is day 5 such as it is.

5 3/4" X 5 3/4"
Acrylic mixed media on
140lb hotpress Arches

Here are a couple of quotes I came across after a 'long' day in my studio.....

"Blocks are part of an artist's natural cycle, and mine come whenever I reach a plateau. I'll feel bottled up with negativism, but when I blast through the garbage, I find I've emerged as a better artist." Nick Payne Artist

"I'm not running out of ideas, just trying to push myself into better ones." Mike McQuade Graphic Designer & Illustrator

Wednesday, 4 January 2017

Put some thought and a bit of planning into day 4. Went for a 'simple' palette - several blues, a couple of greens and yellows, white and black. Blue has always been my favourite colour. I haven't used it for while and I am glad I used it today.

Tuesday, 3 January 2017

If you haven't already guessed - I am not a realistic painter. I like to take things and reduce them down and allow the eye and the imagination to fill in some of the details. I like still life paintings that are done from a more abstract point of view - especially the idea of flattening the space. This painting isn't exactly what I was hoping for but there are still 27 more days to have a go!

Monday, 2 January 2017

We are back in the deep freeze again. A rather cool -28 this morning. We had almost 2 weeks of temperatures pushing into the -30's the beginning of December. Seeing -15 on the outdoor thermometer was a welcome sight. Felt positively balmy! Maybe today's painting will convey a bit of that cool arctic air. Is a very neutral painting and not a lot of value contrast. Have a great day and stay warm!

Sunday, 1 January 2017

The first day of the New Year. No resolutions, but I am going with trying to do 'more'. More painting, more walking, more healthy eating - you get the idea. Who doesn't want to do more of what they like. Some creative scheduling and a bit of commitment and we'll see where we end up. Starting it off with Leslie Saeta's Thirty Paintings in 30 Days. I did my first 30 in 30 this past September. Wasn't sure how it would work but I did accomplish the 30 paintings. Was such a great feeling. I didn't pick a theme just painted. For this go round I am going to try to work bigger, push myself to experiment more with my materials and subject matter. More 'reductionist' landscapes, some still life and whatever else appears in my sketchbook and on paper. Looking forward to sharing with the other artists and painting, painting and painting!

...and Happy New Year! May you have a year filled with the best of everything!

About Me

I live in the Foothills of southern Alberta. The landscape and the amazing flora and fauna that I share this landscape with provides me with endless inspiration for my artwork and journaling. I work primarily in mixed media, mono-prints and linocuts and some encaustic.

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The material posted on this site is for information only and is covered by the provisions of the Copyright Act, by Canadian and International Copyright Laws and Agreements. No portion of the artist's work (including but not limited to: artwork, photographs, images, video and audio) may be duplicated, altered, downloaded or reproduced in any way without prior written permission by the artist